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Programming Archive

Tonight on Inquiry we talk with artist and photographer MARA TRACHTENBERG. She creates fantastic worlds of monstrous topiary and creatures using confectionary materials and then photographs these dream-like tableaux. An exhibition of her work will be on view at ANNA MARIA COLLEGE from October 26-December 2.

Clarinetist/saxophonist, Ken Peplowski had his first professional gig when still in elementary school and went on to play with everyone from Marianne Faithfull and Leon Redbone to Peggy Lee and Woody Allen. BBC2 says, “Ken Peplowski is arguably the greatest living jazz clarinetist.”

News that NASA recently "changed" everybody's astrological sign by announcing a 13th sign spread like wildfire on social media and got us thinking about soul songs and the zodiac. Join Host Tom Shaker for some heavenly songs about love and astrology.

"Thelonious Monk is the most important musician. Period!" That's pianist Jason Moran on "the first pianist who made me want to be a pianist." So Moran decided to present a personal reflection on Monk's music, reconfiguring the 1959 large ensemble concert that Monk presented at Town Hall in New York City. Ever the interdisciplinary thinker, Moran also gathered photographs and archival audio recordings to present a visual companion piece to his new arrangements. In time for Monk's birthday anniversary, Jazz Night takes in the full multimedia presentation that is 'In My Mind' from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

In True Believer: Stalin’s Last American Spy award-winning journalist and best-selling author Kati Marton tells Noel Field’s full story for the first time. Field, once a well-meaning and privileged American, spied for Stalin during the 1930s and ’40s. Then, a pawn in Stalin’s sinister master strategy, Field was kidnapped and tortured by the KGB and forced to testify against his own Communist comrades. He ended his days behind the Iron Curtain, diminished, but he never showed regret for his role in abetting a murderous dictatorship. Marton captures Field’s riveting quest for a life of meaning that went horribly wrong. Tune in this Sunday evening October 9 at 10:30 when Al speaks with Kati Marton.

If two black holes collided, what would it sound like? Tonight on Inquiry we welcome back JANNA LEVIN. She is a professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University. She is also director of sciences at Pioneer Works, a center for arts and sciences in Brooklyn. Her new book is wild and wonderful history of the search for “a sonic record of the history of the universe” and the building of the LIGO, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. It is a story of human genius and ego and folly that has a great ending. Janna Levin’s new book is BLACK HOLE BLUES: AND OTHER SONGS FROM OUTER SPACE.

Why does a grouse bury itself in snow? Do jays really talk to themselves? Inquiry welcomes back acclaimed scientist, author and natural historian BERND HEINRICH. Tonight he talks about his new book ONE WILD BIRD AT A TIME: PORTRAITS OF INDIVIDUAL LIVES. In each of the essays in this book, Bernd Heinrich uses his scientific knowledge and field skills to attempt to unravel the reasons behind the behavior of common species of woodland birds like Ruffed Grouse, Blue Jay and Black-capped Chickadee. This is a wonderful book about how to look at the natural world like a scientist.

At 23 years old, Kaia Kater is an old soul taking the roots music world by storm with her "old-time" banjo playing, singing and song writing. Born in Canada of African-Carribean descent, early exposure to folk music decidedly influenced her more recent immersion into Appalachian music.

This week, Kaia stops by the WICN studios to talk with Bonnie Johnson about career, tour life and her sophomore album Nine Pin (Kingswood Records). The 2016 release includes the vocalist's jazz-influenced originals that pay homage to one of the oldest forms on North American traditional music.

Rolling through Central New England, Kaia opens for GRAMMY-nominated folk singer Vance Gilbert at Club Passim in Cambridge on Saturday, October 8th. She holds her own, live at Dewey Memorial Hall in Sheffiled, MA on Sunday, October 9th, then returns for Passim's Monday Discovery series on October 10, 2016.

Chasing epic sax player Jerry Bergonzi down is no easy thing, but well worth the effort. Jerry is an internationally lauded composer, tenor saxophone player, educator and Boston native. When you hear his music you will understand why Jerry receives rave reviews wherever he plays across the globe. It’s an honor to have him on the program. Can’t wait to share his music with our audience.

“Sherman, set the WABAC…” We are all fascinated by stories and films about time travel and thinking about traveling to the past or future. But is time travel possible? Tonight on Inquiry we talk with noted chronicler of science and technology JAMES GLEICK about his new wonderful book that explores the science, literature and philosophy of TIME TRAVEL: A HISTORY.